surprise. “You? What could you possibly be afraid of?”
Trik leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes. Suddenly images flooded Cassie’s mind and emotions pulsed through her like a wild storm. Her breath caught as she realized Trik was sharing his mind with her. Once she realized what was happening, she began to pay closer attention. Her arms wrapped around him and she pressed herself closer as she watched the most dangerous assassin of his kind reveal his deepest fears.
What she saw broke her heart. He was afraid that she couldn’t love him knowing what and who he was. He was afraid of losing her and the joy she had brought him, joy that he never imagined could exist. She felt rage unfurl as he pictured her with another guy, felt the pain that quickly followed on the heels of that rage. She saw his existence and the emptiness of it through his eyes and it broke her heart. He also showed her the darkest part of himself. She could tell he didn’t want to, but he refused to be less than honest with her. Cassie felt a tear slide down her cheek as she saw the hopelessness in him because he would not stop being what he was, couldn’t stop. He was a dark elf; he was an assassin, and that would never change.
Cassie pulled her forehead from his , breaking the connection. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to process all that he had shown her and allowed her to feel. It was so overwhelming, so intimate and all consuming.
“Cassie,” he r name on his lips was a plea.
She let out a deep breath and opened her eyes. He sat before her in his natural form. She hadn’t even paid attention to the fact that he had looked human when he first arrived.
“One day at a time, Trik,” she told him softly. “I can only do this one day at a time right now. I don’t understand it, but I know that the thought of you leaving and never seeing you again is unacceptable.”
Trik moved so quickly that she didn’t have a chance. His lips were pressed firmly against hers. She felt the desperation in the kiss and it hurt to know that she had made him feel that way.
He p ulled back just enough to speak. “No A'maelamin, do not blame yourself. You have handled this better than I could have ever dreamed.
They sat that way, lips nearly touching, breathing in each other’s breaths, holding on to the comfort they found in the other’s presence. Cassie jumped when she heard the front door open and close.
“My mom,” she told him.
Trik nodded but made no motion to move. She started to stand but he held her firm.
“I’m not leaving,” his eyes flashed as he dared her to contradict him.
Cassie nearly grinned as she saw the confidence he wore like a second skin slide back in place, all traces of fear gone.
“Syndra said you could keep her from seeing you,” Cassie told him.
“ That is correct.” His head tilted slightly as his eyes narrowed. “I’m curious to know what else the Queen told you.”
Cassie raised a single eyebrow at him. “What, you didn’t pick that up while channel surfing my mind?”
Trik chuckled. “It wasn’t something I was looking for at the moment.”
She went to stand again and this time he let her go.
“I have to go down and talk to her. Is it going to hurt when I leave the room?” Cassie shuddered remembering the pain.
Trik stood , closing the distance between them. He gently caressed her cheek and smiled when she leaned into his touch.
“No , Arwenamin, as long as our separating is mutual and not of ill will then there will not be pain. I won’t allow that ever again.”
Cas sie rolled her eyes at his overbearing words, but breathed out in relief at knowing she wouldn’t hurt once she left her room.
She left him standing in her room , watching her as she closed the door behind her. Cassie walked slowly down the stairs trying to collect herself before she saw her mom. She didn’t think she could hold it together if her mom saw something in her and asked if
Trik leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes. Suddenly images flooded Cassie’s mind and emotions pulsed through her like a wild storm. Her breath caught as she realized Trik was sharing his mind with her. Once she realized what was happening, she began to pay closer attention. Her arms wrapped around him and she pressed herself closer as she watched the most dangerous assassin of his kind reveal his deepest fears.
What she saw broke her heart. He was afraid that she couldn’t love him knowing what and who he was. He was afraid of losing her and the joy she had brought him, joy that he never imagined could exist. She felt rage unfurl as he pictured her with another guy, felt the pain that quickly followed on the heels of that rage. She saw his existence and the emptiness of it through his eyes and it broke her heart. He also showed her the darkest part of himself. She could tell he didn’t want to, but he refused to be less than honest with her. Cassie felt a tear slide down her cheek as she saw the hopelessness in him because he would not stop being what he was, couldn’t stop. He was a dark elf; he was an assassin, and that would never change.
Cassie pulled her forehead from his , breaking the connection. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to process all that he had shown her and allowed her to feel. It was so overwhelming, so intimate and all consuming.
“Cassie,” he r name on his lips was a plea.
She let out a deep breath and opened her eyes. He sat before her in his natural form. She hadn’t even paid attention to the fact that he had looked human when he first arrived.
“One day at a time, Trik,” she told him softly. “I can only do this one day at a time right now. I don’t understand it, but I know that the thought of you leaving and never seeing you again is unacceptable.”
Trik moved so quickly that she didn’t have a chance. His lips were pressed firmly against hers. She felt the desperation in the kiss and it hurt to know that she had made him feel that way.
He p ulled back just enough to speak. “No A'maelamin, do not blame yourself. You have handled this better than I could have ever dreamed.
They sat that way, lips nearly touching, breathing in each other’s breaths, holding on to the comfort they found in the other’s presence. Cassie jumped when she heard the front door open and close.
“My mom,” she told him.
Trik nodded but made no motion to move. She started to stand but he held her firm.
“I’m not leaving,” his eyes flashed as he dared her to contradict him.
Cassie nearly grinned as she saw the confidence he wore like a second skin slide back in place, all traces of fear gone.
“Syndra said you could keep her from seeing you,” Cassie told him.
“ That is correct.” His head tilted slightly as his eyes narrowed. “I’m curious to know what else the Queen told you.”
Cassie raised a single eyebrow at him. “What, you didn’t pick that up while channel surfing my mind?”
Trik chuckled. “It wasn’t something I was looking for at the moment.”
She went to stand again and this time he let her go.
“I have to go down and talk to her. Is it going to hurt when I leave the room?” Cassie shuddered remembering the pain.
Trik stood , closing the distance between them. He gently caressed her cheek and smiled when she leaned into his touch.
“No , Arwenamin, as long as our separating is mutual and not of ill will then there will not be pain. I won’t allow that ever again.”
Cas sie rolled her eyes at his overbearing words, but breathed out in relief at knowing she wouldn’t hurt once she left her room.
She left him standing in her room , watching her as she closed the door behind her. Cassie walked slowly down the stairs trying to collect herself before she saw her mom. She didn’t think she could hold it together if her mom saw something in her and asked if
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